Advocates brave heat to protest Spanberger vetoes

A small group of advocates, led by 50501 Virginia, gathered in Richmond on Wednesday to protest Gov. Abigail Spanberger's policies, including her vetoes of collective bargaining and criminal justice reform legislation, and her support for substantial tax breaks for data centers.

Speakers at the demonstration criticized Spanberger, a Democrat, for not advancing progressive priorities, with Antoni Szachowicz of 50501 Virginia stating that "centrism and being a moderate in this day and age of politics is not going to be acceptable anymore." Te'Shaun Cleckley, a Virginia firefighter and member of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, specifically condemned Spanberger's veto of a bill to expand public-sector collective bargaining rights, calling it a "spit in the face of the labor movement."

Hassan Shabazz, executive director of Prisoners' Rights Clinic, expressed dismay over Spanberger's vetoes of criminal justice reforms, including legislation to protect individuals with neurocognitive disorders or intellectual disabilities during prosecution and to block out-of-state transfers to Red Onion State Prison.

Community activist Gray Montrose specifically targeted Spanberger's support for a state tax break that saves data center companies over $1 billion annually. While the Virginia Senate had initially sought to end this tax break, it ultimately endorsed a new tax on data center energy consumption, which Spanberger supported. Montrose suggested that the money saved by data centers from the tax break could instead be used to fund initiatives like expanding collective bargaining, negotiating lower drug prices, or implementing a paid family and medical leave program.